| | |
|
 So you're on a European tour - where've you come from to be here today? Marc 7: We were in Basle in Switzerland... crazy crowd, Chali 2na: Yeah there was a lot of people, like 4000 people, on the lakeside, crammed in to a small space, it was wild We're not used to seeing you in Europe so when you come it gets crazy! M7: We're so busy, we have to tour the states, see our familys, record our new album 
Yeah since Power In Numbers in 2002 it's been a while - what can we expectC2: We don't have a name yet for it M7: We're excited about it - it's going to be a great record. Each J5 album is something different. Don't expect anything - don't expect another Power In Numbers, it's different, different creative juice, take it a beat at a time, we're not afraid to go somewhere else y'know... Each album seems to be more serious, less playful, than the previous one M7: I think that's a sign of the times and what's going on in the world. It's kind of hard when the world's falling a part to talk about playing around and laughing... That wasn't really where we were at for the last album. It's a little lighter this time, but it's still J5, there's still something conscious being said - at the same time you can dance and get your party on, but we're going to sneak some knowledge in there. Are there subjects that now you feel like addressing that previously you didn't want to or feel the need to? C2: I think that happens on every album, like Quality Control we were talking about parenthood, single parents and stuff like that. Then the more mature Power In Numbers, the state of the industry and of the world. Each time we grow, and with the maturity we bring subjects that seem more serious, but at the same time we bring that other side of it too... I mean each cycle, each cycle brings new thought, we all try to challenge ourselves 
So are you still at ease with your older material on stage?M7: Oh yeah we do all that C2: We got to M7: We do a good blend of everything, going back to the EP, got to do that, then some Power In Numbers, same with Quality C2: Some people just want the EP stuff, others it's Quality M7: Yeah so we need to do some of everything, and we sneak in some new stuff too, test it out, see the crowd reaction And is it easy to stay together, with your own projects you're working on? C2: It's easy when your foundation isn't what it appears to be, and when I say that I mean, from the outside looking in you think "that's the group, and if one person leaves then it's gonna fall apart, and if he does that then it's gonna fall apart", but if our relationship is stronger than anything you can see, then, then we have no problems, I mean we disagree, we brothers n stuff besides the music, but agreeing to disagree is a talent in itself, and it's not any more love than it is tolerance, being able to tolerate one anothers downfalls as well as enjoying each others heights is the thing that keeps us together. And the fact that we make good music together regardless!  “...there's no way we can get big heads cuz we've known each other since we had nothing...” In the early days when you were coming through there was the legendary scene at the Good Life café, with Freestyle Fellowship, The Pharcyde n all - are you still down with all them? M7: Yeah I mean from the outside it seems like a really big scene, but the LA hiphop scene is actually really small and tight knit. We still see alot of all those groups, still talk to them, it's like a big family, when we go out to a club we see them C2: It's kindo like having college buddies, we got this connection where we've been through stuff together, and we can not see them for years and then when we do it's like "hey what's up man", we got that connection 
Yeah we see that in collaborations, it comes across as a big familyM7: That's exactly how it is. Yeah we all sort of came through together, from nothgin, watching each other grow, learning from each others mistakes as well as the stuff they did right, so there's no way we can get big heads cuz we've known each other since we had nothing. C2: Yeah I'm just proud to be a part of all that - without even trying, it displays unity, We're not necessarily trying to do anything, more so just make good music and without meaning to it comes across as this big family, which is cool, cuz I can not see one o these dudes for years and you can see that, which is great. How is it in the US compared to here in Europe as a group? We don't get much visibility of how big you are in the states and so how important Europe is to you all? C2: Well you know we're azt home thinking the same thing about Europe as you're thinking about the US. When we come out here it seems we get more love than any we get in America. We don't see how many times our video gets played here, how often it comes on the radio, we don't get an impression of that apart from on bits of paper with figures on it. But in America we're not like Jay-Z, 50 Cent and all that exposure - our career is a steady thing, a word of mouth thing. I mean maybe one day we'll have some massive hit, and that'd be cool y'know, but ... right now it's like, the video isn't getting the play in America that it is here. 
Your instrumentals are mainly samples and turntables, but more and more hiphop is using live instruments - is that something you do or want to do?C2: Have we ever rocked with a band before? Yes! Y'know music is music, we do music, we sample, we do all kinds of stuff. Within the samples NuMark might get someone in to play a bassline, play a horn... We don't push away anything M7: Yeah like we just sampled the Dap Kings - our last single - we're playing it tonight! What do you do besides the music? M7: I write - I'm working on a movie right now, it's a urban comedy, so I'm doing that on the side... 2na's working on his solo album. C2: I paint, and sculpture. I mean besides the music, I just want to paint - anything from oil paints to graffiti art - I just want to sit back and paint. - Flat4 
Related Links:
|
© ukhh.com 2005
Jurassic 5 Interview
